An unindentified non-paying lodger

Mon 8 Dec 2025, 08:46

On a serious note - I would agree with John h and Andy it is Jackdaws. Good to be aware of the way Jackdaws build their nests simply piling up twigs in any opening they can find.

They did it in my chimney several years ago I was only alerted by the Carbon Monoxide Alarm. A chimney sweep using a brush with electrically driven head had to make 3 visits to the roof as well as tackling from below to dislodge several bucket loads of twigs, eggs and dead fledglings -this well out of nesting season - I hasten to add. The birds had broken thro' the chimney cap and simply put twigs down the chimney over several nesting seasons.

Thank goodness for the Carbon Monoxide Alarm alerting me.

Sun 7 Dec 2025, 21:47

Well it is not a trout's nest - or am I on the wrong thread.???

Sun 7 Dec 2025, 20:28

Definitely a Jackdaw. 

Sun 7 Dec 2025, 19:07

I have taken measure to make it much more difficult for this to be repeated, but if it had been a more endangered creature, then I was going to research building a nesting box inside the loft up where the vent is. I've seen that some people have done this.

I'm also going to check my home insurance to see what that says about both four legged and winged intruders.

nb. I'm a little surprised that my loft hasn't been visited by bats. It would have been a perfect habitat, although I don't know that Charlbury has a lot of those.

Sun 7 Dec 2025, 17:31

Could also be a magpie's nest, but agree that a jackdaw a very likely culprit.

House insurance doesn't cover damage by pests, and squirrels can prove very costly. Might be worth getting a professional opinion. 

Sun 7 Dec 2025, 14:55

Steve. If it had been sqirrels chances are you electrics would have bee trashed!!

I will mail you a pic of a nest that the birds just kept putting twigs thro' a gap like yours, what they did not know is all that was a barn floor. John

Sun 7 Dec 2025, 14:50

John,
   a jackdaw is very possible. The ventilation hole is huge. It's around 15 inches high and 4-5 inches wide. Some of the sticks must be almost 6 inches long.

In any event, I think yours must be the favourite idea at the moment. 

Sun 7 Dec 2025, 14:46

I did think of squirrels, but the entrance would be about 9 metres up a sheer gable end wall of reconstituted stone (and, inside, about 3 metres up a sheer, smooth block wall). I know squirrels are great climbers, but I have my doubts even they would head 30 feet up a sheer wall. Also, there is no moss or other things I might expect to find in a drey according to the literature. I am still inclined to an avian intrusion.

There is also clears evidence that the visitor(s) would defecate down the outside of the wall before entering the opening (for which I am grateful). I wonder if squirrels would bother with that.

Incidentally, there is no obvious evidence that there were young in this nest at any time. 

Sun 7 Dec 2025, 14:42

Steve. Just looked at you pix again, I would definitely suspect a Jackdaw. 

Sun 7 Dec 2025, 14:40

Steve. It looks as it may have been a Jackdaw, they build untidy nest out of twigs etc. Could they have gained access to your foof space,? they do not need a large gap to get in. John Harrison

Sun 7 Dec 2025, 13:18

Squirrel nest? Known as a Drey

Sun 7 Dec 2025, 13:11 (last edited on Sun 7 Dec 2025, 19:07)

Whilst doing some plumbing work in the loft of my house and also fitting some raised boards for storing all the stuff I ought to just throw away, I came across this nest behind the water tank. There's a foot ruler shown for scale. 

Clearly this was built by something…

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